Isn’t it time you took a day off to truly recharge your batteries and give yourself a healthy attitude adjustment?  Transform
yourself on the inside and out at the next Just You, Only Better Workshop for Women (Friday, September 16th at The Pyramid Club).  This day of “meaningful fun” includes a line-up of fabulous speakers (including the incredible Jen Groover, the Soul Sister Circle, Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy and more), Transformation Stations, shopping, and over $3,000 worth of prizes.

Continue the fun and networking with other women at Table 31 where you’ll receive a free cocktail and delicious appetizers.

Click HERE to see the agenda and learn more about this incredible day.  As a follower of my blog, you’ll receive 
a special VIP rate for the day.  Please enter LOYAL in the Promo Code box and the day is yours for only $99.  But the deadline for registration is tomorrow afternoon…so register today!

I am looking forward to meeting you on the 16th!

Warmest regards,

Molly

Cabbies get a bad rap. I must admit, I’ve had some pretty unpleasant auditory and olfactory experiences in a cab. But, for every bad experience I’ve had, I’ve had three good experiences. If you take the time to talk to the person behind the wheel, you’ll find that some of the most interesting people in the world are cab drivers.

Yesterday, I flagged down a cab while trying not to drop 1,000 flyers I had just picked up for my next Just You Only Better Workshop for Women. I apologized for taking such a short trip (most cabbies HATE that) and explained that I didn’t think I could carry my load for 8 blocks without paying for it later. He gently smiled at me and told me not to worry. He was happy to have me in his cab. Wow.

Most of the drivers in Philly are from all over the world. So I asked him how long he has lived here and where he was from. He smiled again and began to tell me a little bit about himself. His name was Moses. I repeated it back to him in case I misunderstood what he said and held back any “parting of the waters” jokes. Moses has traveled in 42 countries and speaks 7 different languages. I told him that my husband was Italian and he proceeded to speak to me in Italian—his accent was as perfect as his wise old smile.

After being in his cab for about 2 minutes, he asked me if I was a writer. I never think about myself as a “writer” but I answered that I write a little now and then. He said I reminded him of an old friend who was a philosopher in Sweden. I’ve been compared to different people over the years, but I promise you this was the first time I’ve ever been compared to a philosopher. I had to laugh out loud.

Moses said he learned so many life lessons from this woman that he still feels indebted to her—30 years later. One tidbit of wisdom that she told him was that you can learn everything you need to know about a man from 2 observations:

1. The way he shares his table.
2. The way he shares the road.

Moses told me to think about the simplicity of this. A true gentleman will wait for you until he starts his meal, will take his time savoring the food and wine instead of devouring it, and will happily share it with you.

A man’s actions behind the wheel, according to his friend, are also good indicators of his character. Does he only think about himself or does he respect others on the road? Does he zoom around other cars to jump ahead of others who have been patiently waiting to get off at their exit? We’ve all seen drivers who do this—sadly, they think they’re more important than everyone else.

Of course, these observations apply to women too. Whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s simply about showing respect for others.

So, how do you share your table? And what are you like behind the wheel?

Please share your thoughts on this and any experiences you’ve had with an interesting cab driver.

Happy Encounters,

Molly

I love to people watch. As I walked Jessie through Washington Square last night, I saw a woman on a unicycle, a guy walking a make-shift tight rope, and a group of friends having a picnic. I almost always see something that makes me smile—like a couple playing with a new puppy or a little girl learning how to ride her bike. The best “people watching” is when you see random acts of kindness between strangers. It happens every day…all you have to do is look around you.

But life isn’t always full of warm and fuzzy encounters between people. And when things get ugly, it’s usually between two people who know each other. I understand the concept of love. I understand when people get angry at each other. What I don’t understand is indifference.

I recently watched a teenage boy and his father eating breakfast at our favorite deli. I wasn’t trying to watch them but they were sitting literally 3 feet away from us. They were in town to watch their team play (and eventually lose to) the Phillies. At first I thought how sweet it was that Dad was taking his son on a road trip to see some good old fashioned baseball. But what happened over the next 25 minutes sickened me.

Dad obviously was not in a good mood. He pounded away furiously on his Blackberry pausing briefly to order 2 eggs, bacon and toast from the waitress. His son, looking awkward, ordered pancakes and decided to pay attention to his own phone until Dad was ready to talk. Their food came, and without interruption, the texting, emailing OR WHATEVER they were doing continued.

They finished their food, paid their bill and left. They didn’t speak a single word during their breakfast. Maybe they were emailing (or texting) each other (wouldn’t that be funny?) OR they were in a big fight OR they just don’t like each other. But I think it’s just a bad habit that is invading our society. And I don’t like it.

When the Blackberry (and others like it) first came out, my mom would tell people to “check their phones at the door”—just like they used to do with guns in the Wild West. The reason you invite friends into your home for dinner is to enjoy each other’s company. Not to watch people check their OH SO IMPORTANT emails. When did we all become so important that we have the need to check emails, text and voice messages every 5 minutes?

The next time you share a meal with someone, turn off your phone and enjoy the company. If Dad and his son had started a conversation, they might have actually enjoyed their time together.

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this….please share.

Molly